Chapter 1
The Basics for a Clean House
In This Chapter
Putting together a cleaning tool kit
Getting your kids to help
Preventing more messes
Making your own cleaners
I grew up in a house that was always clean. It wasnât until I lived on my own that I realized how much work it was to keep a house tidy, day in and day out. I always assumed that you cleaned once and it stayed that way for months. I was shocked the first time I washed a floor, and it got dirty a couple hours later when someone stepped on it with muddy shoes.
Cleaning, Iâm told, comes naturally to some people. Theyâre the ones who dust the tops of doorways and never have dirty dishes âresting in the sink.â But, for most of us, cleaning is an ongoing process of trial and error, mixed with the occasional âlick and a promise.â Just like parenting, weâre thrust into a situation without any background knowledge. We often go from making our daily bed to being responsible for a whole household full of dirty kitchen floors and grimy bathroom grout. And because most of us didnât follow our mothers around on Saturday morning studying her cleaning techniques, we rely on television commercials and the back of packaged cleaners for instructions.
Youâd think that cleaning would be simple. After all, people have been tidying up for centuries without all the cleaning products that we have at our fingertips. Pounding the clothes clean on a rock in the river used to be an all-day task.
The problem today is that, even though the wonders of modern chemistry and technology make cleaning less time-consuming than it used to be, we still donât have the time to wait for the laundry to line dry or to iron handkerchiefs. Weâre too busy shuttling kids to soccer, or writing reports for work, or freeing our inner child. We still want the pleasures of a clean house, but we want to get it clean quickly, with minimal effort. Well, you can have your house and clean it too, but you need to acquire a few simple techniques and find some practical cleaning products so youâll spend less time cleaning the place and more time having fun in it.
Keeping Messes at Bay
Preventing problems before they start is smart, no matter what weâre doing. If only we watched what we ate or exercised regularly, we wouldnât have to worry about those extra pounds, but thatâs another book. As far as cleaning is concerned, stopping messes before they start will save you both time and money. A spotless house may be only a dream for many of us, but you can at least get a head start on the mess. This section gives you some ideas on ways to keep messes from starting:
Put wastebaskets in every room for easy disposal of messes when they happen.
Install a kitchen fan over the stove and dispose of almost 200 pounds of grease annually. Be sure to clean the filter regularly.
Put a rubber mat under your petâs food to keep the dishes from moving and stop messes from soiling the floor.
Use coasters on furniture to prevent water marks and other stains.
Put self-stick felt bottoms on the legs of chairs, sofas, tables, or other objects that could scratch floors or tables.
Put mats inside and outside of all doors that lead into the house.
Wipe up spills immediately to prevent stains and the need for excessive scrubbing.
Put saucers under all plants so that no water or dirt falls to the floor.
Spray fabric protector on household linens and upholstery. (Read the label and test on a small portion of fabric in a hidden area first.)
Put liners in drawers and shelves.
Cleaning the Right Way
Do you feel as if you clean and clean, but never get the results you want? Are you spending too much time cleaning for too little reward?
You may be doing all the right things but you may not be doing them in the smartest, most efficient way. You need to become your own cleaning professional. Cleaning professionals use some incredible methods to whip through a house. Out of necessity, theyâve developed lots of clever, time-saving techniques. After all, if you had to clean all day, every day, youâd find the best ways to get it done right and get it done fast. Take a look at some of the methods that the professionals use.
Declutter before you clean
Not only do all those papers and shoes on the floor look messy, but they are separating you from the real dirt. Vacuuming the rug is impossible if itâs covered with other stuff. Do this first: Make a quick circle around the room and pick up the magazines, stray shoes, toys, purses, and so on. Put them in a box to deal with later. Then go for the dust rag and the vacuum. The job will be much easier to accomplish.
Organize your cleaning supplies
Save steps and find a way to carry your brushes, rags, whisks, and cleaning solutions with you all at once. Try a bucket, an apron full of pockets, a childâs wagon, a plastic caddy â whatever works best for you. Just donât waste time running to the kitchen to get the soap while youâre cleaning the bathroom. If you have the room, you may want to leave a set of cleaning supplies in the rooms that you clean often, like the kitchen and bathroom, so youâll have them at your fingertips.
Dos and donâts for getting things clean
Before you drag out your high school chemistry book to attack spots and spills, remember that all chemicals, even those used in household cleaners, can be harmful if not used properly. Always read all labels and follow the manufacturerâs instructions. Use these precautions when using any cleaning solutions around your home:
Donât save old cleaning product bottles and reuse them for any other purpose. Reactions can occur between the product left in the bottle and the chemicals in the new mixture. Instructions that are printed on the bottle for the old product can be misleading or even dangerous for the new mixture.
Do always open the windows or doors and make sure the room is well ventilated when working with chemical cleaners. Some fumes are merely unpleasant, but others can cause injury to lungs and nasal passages.
Donât buy a different cleaning product for every single job in the house. An all-purpose liquid cleaner mixed with water can be used for countertops, faucets, appliances, cooktops, tile, window blinds, small plastic appliances, and resilient flooring, but it can damage TVs or electronic equipment. Ammonia can also be used on floors, windows, painted woodwork, and faucets but not on plastic windows, aluminum storm door windows, or electronic equipment. Be sure to read the label on the bottle to see what the manufacturer recommends. Always test in an inconspicuous place before using a new c...